Multiple-unit coil.



E. 0,. WILGOX. MULTIPLE'UNIT con..

APPLIOATIUI FILED JAI. 10. I1911].

9991534. Patented Aug. 1,1911,

1 3 EHBETB-BHBET l.

www t QAM A y n" E. C. WILCOX. MULTIPLE UNIT COIL.`

APPLIGATIUN FILED JAH. 1o, 1910.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L?? C WCOX e @Hennessy E. C. WILCUX.

MULTIPLE UNIT COIL. APPMUATIUN FILED JAN 1o, 1910.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

M544. K14/.M

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST C. WILCOX, OF MEBIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB T0 THE CONNEC'JJICTTELEPHONE 8c ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

MULTIPLE-UNIT COIL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST C. VILCOX, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meriden, county of New Haven, yState of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Unit Coils, ofwhich the following is a full, clear V whereby it may be so arrangedrelatively to the coils as to bring one or another of its vibratordevices into operation therewith.

A furtherobject is to so construct said vibrator mechanism that it maybe readily reversed or interchanged without disturbing the coils of theroup.

A further obJect is to proved casing or frame in which the coils and thevibrator may be removably mountv ed, said casing or frame having theconnections so arranged that any coil may e removed therefromindependently of -the others and without disturbing theelectricalconnections of the latter.

A further object is to so construct each of the coil units that it maybe inserted withr in the casing in a lurality of positions andsimultaneously an ,invariably make proper connection automatically withthe electric circuitsin any of said positions and whereby the relativeposition of the contacts may be varied to vary the points of contact.

A further object is to provide *means whereby each coil,- while inthecasing orframe',l 4*maybe cut out' of circuit for the purpose of testingwithout'removal from the `casing and without disturbance of the conIlnections of other coils of the group, and

a further' object is to provide an improved means for preventinginductive action between the several coils of the oup.

With these and other objects 1n view, as will appear from the followingdetailed deprovide an im! Specication of Letters Patent.

Application llled January 10, 1910. Serial No. 537,185.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

scription, the invention consists in the constructlon and relativearrangement of parts,

a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of'a casing or framecontaining the coils and duplex v1-' brator, parts being broken away fora clear illustration; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 Fig.1 through the casing, showing the vibrator mounted therein and 1ncircuit with the electric connections; Fig.

3 is a .view of the vibrator removed from 65 y the casing; Fig. 4 is afragmentary view of the casing in vertical and longitudinal section,showing the arrangement of the partitions for holdin the several coilsand vibrator therein; Pig. 5 is a plan view ofthe 70 bottom of thecasing detached therefrom, illustrating the arrangement of the contactpieces for effecting the automatic connections with the coil units andvibrator; Fig. 6 is a front elevation `of the 75 parts shown in Fig. 5;Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the coil units, including a view ot'the bottom of the casing in transverse section; Fig. 8 is an under sideview of the cap or top of one of the coil units, showing the cut-outdevice of said coil. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9 9, Fi 8,looking in the rdirection of the arrow. ig. 10 is adiagrammatic" viewshowin the arrangement of the electric circuits or the coils andvibrator and the arran ement of the several contact members for e ectingthe electrical connections of said parts and including diagrammaticarrangement of the several elements oli, the vibrator and of one of thecoil units.

In the embodiment of the invention herein sel ed for illustration 1indicates a casin or frame adapted to receive several coi units of agroup and the vibrator mechanism operating-'in 4conjunction therewith.'The casing may be provided with a suitable cover 2-wh1ch may be lockedthereto by suitable latch members 3 3.

4 4 indicate brackets attached to the cas- 100 several compartments, 1and 4, by partitiops l ment here shown, 'ti-h several coils of the groupare s mmetfr'ically;

arranged at either side thereo relative arrangement of the coilsandavibrator, however, may be effected as desired.

In order to prevent inductive action betweenA the several coil units,the partitions -5 of the casing between the units are con'- structed inthe form of metal plates, whereby an inductive influence emanatin fromthe co1ls is intercepted. Asindicat in Fig. 1, these partition Walls arecut away as at 6, in order that they may not inter ere with theelectrical contact pieces on the base of the casing and on the coils -ashereinafter referred to. c

Referring to Fig. 7, each of the coil units comprises preferably acylindrical body portion if havina pair of contact members in theform ofs 8 and 9 respectively, secured to the exterior surface thereof, whichcontact members are suitably connected Ato theseveral coil'elementslvvithin 'the unit, as will be hereinafter described, and are solocated upon the coil body as to effect automatic: contact'withthe-proper contact meme bers of the casing when the coil is insertedtherein. These contact bands extend referably continuously entirelyaround t e coil body whereby such electric connection will beestablished irrespective of the particular position in which the. coilis inserted in the casing. Each of the coil units is provided with a capor top 10, which is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9', and is here shown asrectangu` lar in outline to tit within the rectangular compartments ofthe casing, but it is to be understood that the compartments of thecasing may be'circular in form and that the cap or cover of each unitmay be .correspondin ly circular to fit within the same. By ytilielatter construction, further-more, and by means of the circular contactbands 8 `and 9 described, the

gjrriembers 11 and 12 maybe broken at will.

v'unit maybe inserted .within the compartment in the'casing in anyposition and still make effective connection with the several electriccircuits of the system, ,y

On the under side of the cap 10 is mounted a spring contact member 11,Fig. 8, which normally lies in contact with a second contact member 12,also secured to the cap. The contact member 11, as indicateddiagrarmnatically in Fig. 10, is connected by a wire 13 in circuitwiththe4 primary winding 14 of the unit and the contact member 12 isconnected by wire 15-with the contact band 8 onthe exterior of the coilunit. The ca p also is provided with a push button 10', enaging. the endof the spring contact memf er11, whereby4 the connectionbetween the Thesecondary winding 16 of the unit is connected with the primary in theusual manner and 1s also connected by a wire 17 with 'a contact plate18, Figs. 7 and-10 on the base of the unit. y The primary and secondaryare also connected by wire 19 with the lower contact band 9 on theexterior of the unit. As indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 anddiagrammatically` in Fig. 10, the base 20 of the coil casing or frame isprovided with a series of spring contact arms 21, 21, 21b and 21 andwith a second' series of sprin contactarms 22-22.-`22b 22; each arm othe series 21, &c., being aired with an arm of the series 22, &c., anthe arms of each air being so arranged within the res ectivecompartments of the casing as to e ect contact automatically with thecontact bands 9 and 8 respectively when the coil units are insertedwithin each compartment. Ea'ch of the arms 21, &c., is connected with asuitable binding post 23, 23, 23", 23, respectively, which in turn areconnected bywircs 24, 24, 24", 24, Fig. 10, with the terminals 25, 25,25", 25", respectively, of the commutator 26, said commutator having theusual rotatable cont-act arm 27 to effect connection with each of saidterminals successively, said `arm being A,grounded at 28. Each'of thearms 2,2, 8vo., is connected with a common connecting member or bus bar29, likewise mounted upon` the base of the casing, to whichfis alsoconnected a split contact piece 30 for making contact with the vibratorelement, as hereinafter described.

In order to effect electrical connection with the secondary terminalplate 18 of each of the coil units, the base 20 of the casing 1 isprovided with a plurality of spring contact pins 31, 31a, 31", 31, oneopposite each of the., coil compartments of `said casing. Each of saidpins 31, &c., is mounted in a socket 32, F ig. 7, of a contact stud 33which in turn is carried within an insulating sleeve 34 having a screwthreaded head 35 adapted Vto receive the screw-threaded cap 36 by whichthe contact stud 33 and the connections moisture. Each of the 4contactstuds 33 is connected by a Wire 37 with the spark plugs 38 of, forexample, an linternal combustion engine one side of said spark plugs'being grounded in the usual manner as `at 39.

The vibrator, which may be termed for convenience a duplicate vibrator,as yshown in Fig. 3, consists of a casing 40, having separate andindependently operable vibrator elements-mounted upon and within' eachend thereof. As these vibrator elements are duplicates, a description ofone will sutice for both.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 10, the vibrator element at each end of theduplicate vibrator cfirnp'rises a bridge L1 secured to a cap 40 of thecasing 40 carrying a contact screw 'therewith may be protected from dirtand 42,l with which the spring armature 43 coop crates in the usualmanner. One end of t le vibrator coil 44 .is connected at 45 with thearmature 43 and the opposite end of the coil leads by wire 46 to acontact screw' 47 extending to the exterior ot the casing 40, asindicated in Fig. 3, and located midway thereof. The contact screw 42 isconnected throl'lgh the bridge 41 by incansof a wire 48 to a contactscrew 49 located at the corresponding end of the casing. The commoncontact 47 and the separate contacts 49 for each of the oppositelyarrangedI vibrators, each consist of a pair ot screws for betterengagement with the cooperating contact strips respectively'. Thecontacts 49 at each end of the vibrator casing are each con necterl onlywith the bridge Il adjacent the same end. The usual condenser 50 isconnected across the terminals of the vibrator.

The Contact strip 30, Figs. 6 and l0, connected with the bus bar 29 isarranged to project within the compartment of the caslng provided forthe duplicate vibrator and to connect. with the contact screws 47 midwayof said duplicate vibrator when the same is in operative position.Mounted upon the wall of the vibrator compartment is a second contactmember 51 arranged to engage the contact screw 49 at one end ofthevibrator element when properly positioned in said compartment. From thecontact 5l a wire 52 leads to a terminal 53 of a switch 54 preferablymounted upon the outside oi' the casing and provided with a switch arm5.5

arranged to make contact with battery ierminals 56 or 57, as desired.Preferably two batteries 58 and 59 are provided, either one of which maybe brought into operation by the switch, as desired.

Froniithe above descri tion it will be seen that .the coil units may 'ereadily mounted Vwithin the casing by simply slipping the same intoitheir respective compartments, which action at the saine time effectsautomatic connection through the contact meinbers fixed to the bottom ofthe casing 20 and the contactsI on the coil casing with the vibratormember, battery and spark plugs respectively, and by reason of thepresence.

of the common connection 29 for the coils with the vibrator and batteryany one. of the coils may be removed without disturbing the electricalconnections of the others. Furthermore, the vibrator element may belikewise mounted in the casing and at the same time 'automatically makjeelectrical connection with the switch contact 5.1 and the common coilcontact 30. By reason of the duplicate form of the vibratormember, thesame maybe reversed at will, bringing` either ot `the vibrator elementsinto operation, in case the other becomes ineffective forany reason.Itvwill'- be seen fl'urthcrmore that all ot the contactfmembers for thecoil units and the vibrator are mounted upon the base of the casing,whereby these parts may be readily assembledl thereon beforethe base isattached to the casing;` thus greatly facilitating man" vide themanually operable cut-out comprising the spring contact member l1 andvpush button 10 upon each coil. By sim ly pressing' upon the button 10the circuit 'will be broken between the contact members 11 and 1'2without disturbing the connection of the other units, whereby adefective part of the system may be readily detected in a. manner wellknown to thc-se skilled in this art.'

The operation of the apparatus is clearly apparent from the abovedescription.

While I have herein shown a particular embfnliment ot' my invention, itlis to be understood the same may be varied in detail and arrangement ofparts within the scope ct'the appended claims.

"hat I claim is:

1. In electric apparatus, a source of current,`a duplicate vibratorcomprising independent Vibrator elements, an. induction coil, a casingfor said vibrator and coil, contact u'iembers'on said casing adapted toeffeet electrical connection automatically with one of said vibratorelements upon the insertion of said duplicate vibrator in said casing,and contacts on said casing arranged to effect electrical connectionautomatically with the primary and secondary windings on said coil uponinsertion of the same within the casing to conncctsaid coil and vibratorin series with saidy source of current.

In electric aliparatus, a source of current, a duplicate friliratorcon'ip'rising indc pendent vibrator elements-and having contact membersconnected therewith. au induetion coil, contactmembcrs on the exterioroi" said coil connected with the primaryand secondary windings thereofrespective-ly, a casing forsaid vibrator and coil, contactmembers onsaid cin-ling adapted to ctlcct electrical connection automatically withthe contact members of one of said vibrator elements upon the insertionot' said duplicate vibrator in said casing in one position, and with thecontact members of tht` other vibratorelement on said `duplicate'vibrator when ythe latter is inserted in said casing in reverseposit-ion, and contact members on said casing adapted to Veli'ectelectrical connection automatically with the contact mem- `bers of saidcoil'when the latter is in the casing to connect the coil and vibratorin series with said source of current.

3. In electric apparatus, the combination,

source of current, acircuit breaker, a sparking device, a duplicatevibrator, comprisinga casing having vibrator elements mounted uponeither end thereof, a casing, electrical connect-ions established by theinsertion of said `'duplicate vibrator in said casing in one positlon toconnect one of its vibrator elements automatically with said source ofcurrent, and similarly to connect the other vibrator elementof saidduplicateA tion; coil` a casing, electrical connections established bythe insert-ion of said duplicate vibrator in said casing in oneposit-ion to connect one of its vibrator elements with said source ofcurrent, and to connect the other of said vibrator elements with saidsource when said duplicate vibrator is insertedin said casing in aVreverse position, electrical connections established by the insertion ofthe coil within said casing to connect'its primary automatically withthat element of the duplicate vibrator connected with the source ofcurrent.

5. In electric ap iaratus, a source of current, a duplicate vibratorcomprisin a casing having independent vibrator e ements mounted uponeither end thereof, a plural ity of induction coils, a casing, a commonconnection on said casing for the primary windings on said coils,electrical connections established by the insertion of said duplicatevibrator in saidcasing in one position to connect one of its Vibratorelements automatically with said source of current and withsaid commonconnection respectively, and to similarly connect the other of thevibrator elements of said duplicate vibrator when 'the-latterisinsertedin said casing' in the reverse position, and electricalconnections4 established by thc insertion of said coils in said casing?to automatically con ncct the primaries thereof respectively with saidcommon connection.

(l, Inelectric apparatus, a source of cur-l rent, a duplicate vibratorcomprising a casing having independent vibrator elements mounted uponelther end thereof, a plui thereof, a pluralit faceta rality ofinduction coils, a sparkin device anda circuit breaker'for each coirespectively,- aV casing for said: du licatevibrator and coils, by theinsertion of said duplicate vibrator electrical connections establishedin one position in said casing to connect one of the vibrator elementsthereof, with the said source and the primaries of said coils and tosimilarly connect the other vibrator element of said duplicate vibratorwhen Ainserted in said casingin a'reverse position, electricalconnections established by the insertion of said coils in said casin toautomaticall connect the 'primaries t ereof respective y with saidvibrator element oon- 4nected to said spurce, and also to connect theprimary of each coil automatically with said circuit breaker, and toconnect the secondary of each coil with its s arking device.

7. In electric apparatus, t e combination of a source of current, aduplicate vibrator comprisin a casing having inde end-ent vibrator eements mountedupon eitlher end of Ainduction coils, a circuit breaker ana sparking device or each of said coils respectively, a casing for saidduplicate vibrator and coils having a common connection for the rimariesof said coils and said du licate vibrator, electrical connections 'estalished by the insertion of said duplicate vibrator in said casing in oneposition to connect one of its vibrator elements Vautornatically'Withsaid source and said common connection, and to similarly connect theother of its vibrator elements automatically when inserted in saidcasing in reverse position, electrical connections established by theinsertion of said coils in said'casinar to connect the rimary of eachcoil respectively automatically with the common connection and with itscircuit breaker, and to connect the secondary of each coil with itssparking device.

8.v In electric apparatus, the combination of a source of current, aduplicate vibrator comprising a casing havingr independent vibratorelements mounted upon either end thereof, a plurality of inductioncoils, a circuit breaker and asparking device for each coil, a casingrhavin a common connec` tion for the primaries o each coil and saidduplicate vibrator, and having separate connections for`thc primaries ofeach coil t0 connectthe same with said circuit breakers respectively,vand having separate connec- 1 tions to connect the secondary of eachcoil with its sparking device, sai duplicate vibrator having contact*members, adapted when said vibrator is inserted in one position in saidcasing to automatically connect one of its vibrator elements with saidsource and said common connection respectively, and to similarlyconnectthe other vibrator clement when said duplicate vibrator isinserted in reverse position, each of said coils sesam havlng contactmembers to automatically connect its primary with said common connectionand with, its circuitl breaker, and to connect the secondaryautomatically with 4the sparking device upon insertion of the coils 1nsaid casing.

9. In electric apparatusaa duplicate vibrator comprising a casing havingindependent Vvibrator elements mounted upon either end thereof, aplurality of induction coils, a casing for said duplicate vibrator andcoils and means to connect one of the vibrator elements automaticallywith the Aprimaries of said coils upon insertion of said vibratorin saidcasingr in one position, and to similarly connect the other vibratorelement when said duplicate vibrator is inserted in reverse position.

10. In electric apparatus, a source of current, a duplicate vibratorcomprising a casing having independent vibrator elements mounted uponeither end thereof, a plurality of induction coils. a casing, a commonconnection on said casing for the pri maries of each coil, contactmembers ou said duplicate vibrator and said casing to connect one of thevibrator elements automatically with said common connection uponinsel-tion of said duplicate vibrator in said casing in one position andto similarly connect the other of said vibrator elements upon insertionof said duplicate vibrator in reverse position.

11. A duplicate vibrator for ignition apparatus, comprising a casinghaving independent vibrator elements mounted upon either end thereof.contact members on the exterior ot' said casing connected with thecoperating parts of each vibrator element.

12. A duplicate vibrator for ignition ap,- paratus, comprising acasing;r havin independent vibrator elements mountec` upon either endthereof, separate Contact members on the exterior of said casingconnccted with similar members of'each vibrator element respectively,and a common contact on said casing connected with the col'respondingmembers of said vibrator elements.

13. A duplicate vibrator for ignition systems, comprising a casinghaving independent vibrator elements mounted upon either end thereof,separate contact members on the exterior of said casing connectedrespectively With the lixed contact member of each of said vibratorelements, and a common contact on the exterior of said casing connectedwith the coils of 'each of said vibrator elements.

14. In electric apparatus, an induction ooil comprising a casing`containing'the primary and secondary winding of said coil respectively.contact bandsextending around the exterior of said coil casing, one ofsaid bands being connected with the primary and the other connected tothe primary and secondary of said coil, a holder for sald coil` contactmembers `on said holder to effect connections automatically with saidcontact bands u on insertion of the coil in any ot a pluralityof.positions in said casing.

15. In electric apparatus, an induction coil, a casing therefor, contactmembers extending around the exterior of said casing,

one of said members being connected to one terminal of the coil primary,the other ot said stripsbeing connected to the opposite terminal of thccoil primary, and one terminal of the secondary, a third contact memberon the exterior of the casing of the coil connected with the oppositeterminal oi the secondary, a coil holder having contact members adaptedto eltect connections automatically with saidcoil contacts upon insertion of the coil in any of a plurality ot positions 1n said easing.

16. In electric' apparatus, an induction coil, a cylindrical" casingtherefor. contact members extending around the circulatorence of said.casing. one of said members hcingr` connected with one terminal of theprimary and the second ot said members being connected with the oppositeterminal ot the primary and with one terminal ot the secondary, a thirdcontact member on the exterior of said casing connected with theopposite terminal of the secondary, a coil holderhaving a compartmentadapted to re ceive said coilsaid holder carrying contact. membersadapted to effect connections autr matically with said contact inmnberson said coil upon insertion of the latter within said holder.

1 7. In electric apparatus, a plurality of induction coils, each coilcomprising a casing' having,r contact members extending around theexteriorthereot', one of said members beingr connected with one terminalof the primary and the other member being connected' With the oppositeterminal olf' the primary and with one terminal of the secondary, athird contact member on said casing connected with the opposite terminalof the secondary. u holder for said. coils having a plurality ofseparate compartments therefor, contact members onlsaid holder extendinginto each compartment and adapted to eifect connections automati^ callywith the contact members on each coil casing when said coils areinserted in said holder irrespective of the position ot said coil insaid holder.

18. In eletric apparatus. a plurality of induction coils, a commonvibrator for said coils, a casing having a plurality of com partmentstoreccive said coils and vibrator respectively, contact members mountedin each compartiment, the partition of said compartments. bet-Ween saidcoils being constructed of material to prevent inductive action bet-Weenadjacent coils, and being cut away adjacent said contact members toprevent contact therewith. 4

19. In electric apparatus, a vibrator comprising a single mounting, twoindependent vibrator elements in common thereto, each vibrator elementhaving at least one independent circuit terminal in combination with aninduction coil, a holder in common to said induction coil and vibrator,a circuit, and contact means for automatically electrically connectingeither of said vibrator elements in said circuit depending upon theposition of said vibrator 1n said holder.

20. lln electric a nparatus, a frame, an induction coil carrie thereby,a vibrator also carried thereby, said vibrator including a mounting anda plurality of separately operable vibrator elements carried thereby, acircuit for said coil and vibrator, with means for automaticallyelectrically connecting any including one of said vibrator elementsdependent on the position of its mounting relative to said frame, insaid circuit when said coil and mounting are laced in said frame.

21. In electric apparatus, a frame, a plurality of induction coilscarried thereby, a vibrator also carried thereby, said vibrator a.mounting and a lurality of separate operable vibrator e ements carriedthereby, a circuit for each coil with means for automaticallyelectrically connecting any one of said vibrator elements in circuitwith all of Said coils when said coils and mounting are placed in saidframe dependent upon t e positionof said mounting in said Trame.

- ERNEST C. WILCOX. Witnesses;

CHAS. A.. PEARDY, M. E. GARRETT.

